Disk protection casing and drive for receiving the same

ABSTRACT

The disc protection casing includes a disc protection casing body having a disc receiving space therein. A disc holder, insertable into the interior of the disc protection casing body, has an elastic member formed at one end of the same for supporting a disc. When the disc holder is inserted into the casing body, a shoulder on the elastic member contacts a guide member in the casing body and the elastic member releases a disc supported thereby.

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/848,115,filed on May 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,164, which is acontinuation of Ser. No. 10/337,999 filed on Jan. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat.No. 6,757,240, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/347,388 filed onJul. 6, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,471, and for which priority isclaimed under 35 U.S.C. § 120; and this application claims priority ofapplication No. 28766/1998 and application No. 28824/1998 filed in Koreaon Jul. 15, 1998 and on Jul. 16, 1998 under 35 U.S.C. § 119; the entirecontents of all are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a disc protection casing and a drivefor receiving the same.

2. Description of the Background Art

Types of a disc are classified into a reproducing-only type such as aCD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, etc., and a recordable type such as a WORM (WriteOnce Read Many) type, a rewritable type, etc. in accordance with thenumber of the data writing operations.

The writable-type disc is generally placed in a disc protection casingsuch as a cartridge, to protect the disc from external contamination ordamage. It is required that the disc casing is designed to be openedwhen changing the disc.

Namely, when using a small size cartridge in a large size drivingapparatus, since the small size cartridge does not have a certain sizeopening for the large size driving apparatus, the small size cartridgehaving a disc therein may not be used for the large size drivingapparatus. Recently, a new cartridge capable of changing the discinserted in the casing has been introduced in order to overcome theabove-described problems.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge includes a cartridge body 2 forreceiving a disc 1 therein, and a disc holder 6 which may be detachablyinserted via one edge of the cartridge body 2.

An opening (not shown) is formed in the bottom of the cartridge body 2,so that a pick-up unit of a drive can access the disc 1, and the openingis closed and opened by a shutter 4.

A receiving portion 5 is formed in the one edge of the cartridge body 2,so that the disc 1 may be inserted into the interior of the cartridgebody 2.

In the thusly constituted conventional disc cartridge, when a userwishes to insert a bare state disc (the disc is separated from thecartridge body 2) into the cartridge body 2, the user holds a certainportion of a non-recorded surface of the disc 1 to prevent the datarecorded surface from being contaminated and inserts the disc 1 into thereceiving portion 5 of the cartridge body 2 and the inserts the discholder 6 into the receiving port 5.

On the contrary, in a state that a disc 1 is already inserted in theinterior of the cartridge body 2, in order to use a bare state disc 1,for removing the disc 1 from the cartridge body 2, the disc holder 6 isdetached from the cartridge body 2, and the disc 1 falls down by gravitydue to the weight of the disc through the receiving port 5 when thecartridge is held upright by the user.

However, in the conventional disc cartridge, in order to insert the discinto the interior of the cartridge body or remove the disc from thecartridge body, the user holds the disc and inserts the disc into thecartridge body or holds the disc falling from the cartridge body by theweight of the disc. In this case, the data recorded surface of the discmay be contaminated by pollutants or the like. Therefore, the disc mustbe very carefully handled.

As a very high capacity and high speed disc is introduced, if the discis contaminated by pollutants and the like, it is impossible toreproduce the data recorded on the CD or a data reproducing error mayoccur.

In addition, discs are further classified into a disc having onerecordable surface (hereinafter called a single sided disc) and a dischaving two recordable surfaces (hereinafter called a double sided disc).

The single sided disc includes a recordable surface for recording andreproducing data and a label surface for attaching a label thereon, andthe double sided disc includes only two recordable surfaces.

In the case of the single sided disc, the data recording surface isopposite to the optical pick-up unit and in the case of the double sideddisc, one or both recordable surfaces of the double side disc may beopposite to the optical pick-up unit for thereby recording andreproducing the data. In the above-described structure, the disc holder6 is inserted into the cartridge body 2 in a certain direction.

In the case of the single sided disc, the disc must be inserted in onedirection, and in the case of the double sided disc, the surface to berecorded or reproduced must be inserted in a certain orientation.

However, when a user re-inserts a bare state single sided disc into thedisc cartridge, since the conventional disc holder and the cartridgebody are symmetrical, the user may erroneously insert the disc holderinto the cartridge body, so that the insertion direction of the disc maybe changed.

In particular, in the case of the single sided disc, even when thecartridge body and the disc holder are normally inserted, if the labelsurface of the disc is opposite to the optical pick-up unit can notaccess the disc.

Namely, when the disc is properly inserted into the cartridge body, andthe disc holder is properly inserted thereinto, the disc is normallyrecorded and reproduced. Therefore, the user must carefully insert thedisc into the disc cartridge, so that in the conventional art, there ismuch inconvenience to use the disc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a discprotection casing and a drive for receiving the same which are capableof preventing a data recording surface of a disc from being contaminatedwhen inserting and removing a disc.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a discprotection casing and a drive for receiving the same which are capableof easily separating a disc from the disc protection casing.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a disc protection casingaccording to the present invention which includes a disc protectioncasing body having a disc receiving space therein, and a disc holderinsertable into the interior of the disc protection casing body andhaving an elastic member formed at one end of the same for supportingthe disc.

To achieve the above objects, there is also provided a disc holderaccording to the present invention which includes an elastic memberengaged with a certain portion thereof for elastically supporting adisc, and a shoulder formed at one side of the elastic member forrotatably positioning and separating the disc in/from a receiving spaceof a drive.

In a disc protection casing and a drive for receiving the same accordingto the present invention, a disc protection casing for a single sideddisc and a disc holder are inserted in a certain direction, and a doublesided disc is inserted into a disc protection casing in a certaindirection, so that it is possible to prevent an erroneous insertion ofthe disc.

To achieve the above objects, there is further provided a driveaccording to the present invention which includes a receiving portionincluding a disc protection casing having a disc receiving spacetherein, and disc holder receiving receivable in the disc protectioncasing body and having one end engaged with an elastic member forsupporting a disc, and a recording and reproducing unit for recordingand reproducing data on/from a disc received in the interior of the discprotection casing.

Additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will becomemore apparent from the description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinabove and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional detachable disc cartridge;

FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view illustrating the structure of the acartridge body and a disc holder according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a state that a disc is inserted in adisc holder as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a state before a disc holder of FIG.2 is inserted into a cartridge body;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a state after a disc holder of FIG. 2is inserted into a cartridge body;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI—VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view illustrating an insertion relationshipbetween an adapter and a disc holder according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7B is a perspective view illustrating the disc holder inserted intothe adapter according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating the structures of a disc cartridgeaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention and a holderinsertable into the disc cartridge;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view illustrating a disc cartridgeaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention and a holderinsertable in the disc cartridge;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view illustrating a disc cartridgeaccording to a fourth embodiment of the present invention and a holderinsertable in the disc cartridge; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an optical discrecording and reproducing unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The disc protection casing and a drive for receiving the same accordingto the present invention will be explained with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, a disc cartridge according to the present inventionincludes a cartridge body 12 having a disc receiving space formedtherein and slanted surfaces 12 a which operate as guide members formedat an outer portion of the receiving space, and a disc holder 14 havingsemi-circular tension arms 18 which operate as elastic members forelastically supporting the disc 1.

A receiving port 15 is formed in an outer edge of the cartridge body 12,and a disc 1 inserted therethrough into the disc holder 14 is receivedinto the interior of the cartridge body 12 via the receiving port 15.

The slanted surfaces 12 a are integrally formed with the cartridge body12 in a rib shape when injection-molding the cartridge body 12. Theseslanted surfaces 12 a contact with the tension arms 18 when the discholder 14 holding the disc 1 is received into the cartridge body 12, sothat the tension arms 18 are pushed toward the respective lateral wallsof the cartridge body 12 for thereby releasing a restricting force ofthe tension arms 18 with respect to the disc 1.

In addition, when the disc holder 14 is separated from the cartridgebody 12, the tension arms 18 provide a certain elastic force to the disc1 in a radial direction of the disc 1, so that the disc 1 is notseparated from the disc holder 14.

In order to release the restriction force on the disc 1 and support thedisc 1, shoulders 18 a which are engaged to the slanted surfaces 12 aare integrally formed at respective outer portions of the tension arms18 being integral with the disc holder 14 when injection-molding thedisc holder 14, and holder portion 16 is formed at an outer edge portionof the disc holder 14 for holding the disc holder 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tension arms 18 elastically support the disc 1using a certain radial force applied toward the center portion of thedisc 1, so that the disc 1 is stably supported by the holding portion 16and the tension arms 18.

The process by which the disc 1 is inserted into the cartridge body 12will now be explained in detail.

As shown in FIG. 2, a disc 1 is first inserted by a user into the discholder 14 through an opening formed between the outer end portions ofthe tension arms 18 in the direction of arrow. As the disc 1 isinserted, the tension arms 18, are spread outwardly and upon completionof the inserting operation, the tension arms 18 elastically hold thedisc 1 against the holding portion 16.

At this state as shown in FIG. 3, the user holds the holding portion 16of the disc holder 14 into the cartridge body 12 via the receiving port15.

Upon inserting the disc holder 14 into the cartridge body 12, theshoulders 18 a formed at the tension arms 18 contact with the slantedsurfaces 12 a of the cartridge body 12 before the disc holder 14 isinserted fully.

Namely, the shoulders 18 a are moved toward the respective walls of thecartridge body 12 along the slanted surfaces 12 a from the state of FIG.4 to the state of FIG. 5, so that an elastic supporting force of thetension arms 18 with respect to the disc 1 is released.

The disc 1 is rotatably positioned in the cartridge body 12, so that aspindle motor (not shown) can rotate the disc 1, and the optical pick-upunit (not shown) can access the recording surface of the disc 1.

The converse operation by which the disc holder 14 is separated from thecartridge body 12 in order to remove the disc 1 from the cartridge body12 will next be explained.

When separating the disc holder 14 from the cartridge 12, therestriction force exerted by the slanted surfaces 12 a to the shoulders18 a is released, so that the tension arms 18 support the disc 1 by anelastic recovering force of the tension arms 18.

At this time, since a concave slanted surface 18 b is formed in endportion of each tension arm 18, even when the disc 1 is moved up anddown in the cartridge body 12, the disc 1 is stably guided to the centerportion of the tension arms 18 a, so that the tension arms 18 stablysupport the disc 1.

In the present invention, since the tension arms 18 which elasticallysupport the disc 1 need have only a certain thickness compared to theheight of the edge of the disc 1, the thickness of the disc holder 14can be made small.

As shown in FIG. 7A, in order to record and reproduce a small sizerecording medium (for example, when the diameter of the disc is 80 mm)using a disc driving apparatus which is capable of recording orreproducing a large size recording medium (for example, when thediameter of the disc is 120 mm), a slanted surface (not shown) which hasthe above-described function may be formed in the interior of an adapter140 having an outer size which is the same as the cartridge body of thelarge size recording medium for the reason that a certain compatibilitywith respect to other apparatuses is obtained because almost all drivingapparatuses are recently designed to drive a large size recordingmedium.

In this case, the user can detachably mount the disc holder 14 with thedisc 1 therein at the receiving port 141 of the adapter 140.

In the drawings, reference numeral “I” designated a length differencebetween the large size recording medium and the small size recordingmedium. The end portion 14 a of the disc holder 14 is moved up to thecenter end portion 140 a of the adapter 140 when inserting the discholder 14 in the adapter 140 for thereby obtaining a certain sizeopening.

The disc cartridge according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention includes a certain structure so that the cartridge body andthe disc holder can be inserted only in a certain orientation.

FIG. 7B is a perspective view illustrating the disc holder 14 beinginserted into the adapter 140 (note FIG. 7A illustrates the disc holder14 not inserted into the adapter 140). As shown in FIG. 7B, thepredetermined opened distance l shown in FIG. 7A corresponds to a lengthdistance between a larger size disc accommodated in a disc drive and asmaller size disc configured to be accommodated in the adapter 140. Asshown, the end portion 14 a of the disc holder 14 is flush with the endportion 140 a of the adapter 140.

As shown in FIG. 8, a groove 22 a which is formed eccentrically in aleftward or rightward direction is formed in the cartridge body 22, anda protrusion 26 a is formed on the disc holder 24 to be matinglyinsertable into the groove 22 a.

The protrusion 26 a is formed on the holding portion 26 and iseccentrically formed leftwardly or rightwardly to be opposite to thegroove 22 a.

Therefore, since the groove 22 a and the protrusion engagable only in acertain opposed orientation, the disc holder 24 is received in thecartridge body 22 only in a certain orientation.

Namely, the disc holder 24 is not received in the cartridge body 22 in astate that the groove 22 a does not correspond to the protrusion 26 a.

A guide message 24 a is written on the upper surface of the disc holder24 for guiding an insertion direction when the disc 1 is inserted intothe cartridge body 22.

As the guide message, there are “Recordable side of disc” or “Label sideof disc” in accordance with the data recording surface or label surfaceof the disc 1, so that a user can recognize the insertion direction ofthe disc 1.

Therefore, the user can insert the disc holder into the cartridge body22 in a certain orientation based on an asymmetrical shape of thecartridge body 22 and the disc holder 24, and the insertion direction ofthe disc 1 is coincided with the insertion direction of the cartridgebody 22 and the disc holder 24 based on the guide message 24 a.

As shown in FIG. 9, the disc cartridge according to a third embodimentof the present invention includes a cartridge body 32 having anasymmetrically shaped receiving port 33, and a disc holder 34 having anasymmetrically shaped end portion corresponding to the receiving port33.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the width W.sub.L between the receivingport 33 and the left edge portion of the disc holder 34 received in thereceiving port 33 is wider than the width W.sub.R of the right edgeportion.

Namely, if the shape of the disc holder 34 received in the cartridgebody 32 is not coincided with the shape of the receiving port 33 of thecartridge body 32, the disc holder 34 is not received thereinto, so thata certain insertion orientation is implemented.

A guide message 34 a is formed on the upper surface of the disc holder34 as shown in FIG. 9 to inform the user of the insertion orientation ofthe disc 1 in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a disc cartridge according toa fourth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown therein, the disc cartridge according to the fourth embodimentof the present invention includes a cartridge body 42 in which a rail 43a is protruded from a lateral wall of a receiving port 43, and a discholder 44 having a groove 44 a which is opposite to the rail 43 a.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the rail 43 a is formed only at a leftlateral wall of the receiving port 43 and has a certain height, and arail is not formed at the right lateral wall.

Namely, when the disc holder 44 is inserted into the cartridge body 42,if the groove 44 a in the disc holder 44 and the rail 43 a of thecartridge 42 are not corresponding engaged with each other, the discholder 44 is not received into the cartridge body 42. Therefore, thedisc holder 44 is received only in a certain orientation.

A guide message 44 b is formed on the upper surface of the disc holder44 of the fourth embodiment of the present invention to inform the userof the insertion orientation of the disc 1 in the same manner as in theembodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9.

In the adapter 140 of FIGS. 7A and 7B which is used for recording andreproducing a double sided or single sided recording medium using a discdriving apparatus capable of recording or reproducing a large sizedrecording medium, the receiving port 141 of the adapter 140 and the discholder 14 received in the receiving port 141 are asymmetrically formed,so that the disc holder 14 is received into the adapter 140 only in acertain orientation.

In this case, a guide message may be printed on a certain portion of theadapter 140 to inform the user of the insertion orientation of a smallsized recording medium.

As shown in FIG. 11, the disc recording and reproducing unit 50 whichdrives the disc 1 includes an optical pick-up unit 51 recording andreproducing data on/from the disc 1, an optical pick-up unit transportunit 51 the optical pick-up unit 51, a data processing unit 52processing the data inputted and transferring the processed data to theoptical pick-up 51, an interface unit 53, and a controller 55controlling the operations of the above-described elements. Theinterface unit 53 of the optical disc recording apparatus is connectedwith a host 56, so that certain instructions and data 57 arecommunicated therebetween.

As described above, the disc protection casing and a drive for receivingthe same according to the present invention are capable of preventing adata recording surface of a disc from being contaminated when insertingand removing the disc.

In the present invention, since the disc is inserted in the disc holder,a user is able to easily insert a disc into a cartridge and remove thedisc from the cartridge.

In the single sides disc cartridge according to the present invention,since the cartridge body and the disc holder are asymmetrically formed,a certain insertion orientation is implemented for thereby preventing anerroneous operation of the apparatus.

In the present invention, since there is provided a guide message forinforming a user of the insertion orientation of the disc, it ispossible to prevent an erroneous insertion of the disc holder into thecartridge body.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciated that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible. Without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas recited in the accompanying claims.

1. A disk protection casing, comprising: a casing body having areceiving space therein and an access port formed in a first side of thecasing body; and a disk holder insertable into an interior of the casingbody via the access port, and one of the disk holder and the first sideof the casing body being structured such that the disk holder isprevented from being incorrectly inserted into the casing body, whereinthe disk holder includes an elastic member for supporting a disktherein, and the casing body is formed so as to set the disk holder witha change of an elastic supporting force of the elastic member withrespect to the disk when the disk holder is inserted into the interiorof the casing body, wherein the disk holder is configured to be insertedinto the access port such that a predetermined opened distance of theaccess port remains between an outer edge of the disk holder and anouter edge of the casing body.
 2. The disk protection casing of claim 1,wherein the predetermined opened distance corresponds to a lengthdifference between a larger size disk accommodated in a disk drive and asmaller size recording medium configured to be held in the disk holderand accommodated in the disk drive.
 3. The disk protection casing ofclaim 2, wherein the larger size disk has a diameter of about 120 mm andthe smaller size disk has a diameter of about 80 mm.
 4. The diskprotection casing of claim 1, wherein a portion formed at the elasticmember is moved toward walls of the casing body when the disk holder isinserted into the interior of the casing body, thereby changing theelastic supporting force of the elastic member.
 5. The disk protectioncasing of claim 4, wherein the casing body includes slanted surfacesthat are contacted with shoulders of the elastic member when the diskholder is inserted into the interior of the casing body, thereby movingshoulders of the elastic member toward walls of the casing body.
 6. Thedisk protection casing of claim 1, wherein the disk holder includes aconvex-shaped holding portion and the access port of the casing bodycomprises a concave shape such that the disk holder is prevented frombeing incorrectly inserted into the casing body.
 7. A disk protectioncasing, comprising: a casing body having a receiving space therein andan access port formed in a first side of the casing body; and a diskholder insertable into an interior of the casing body via the accessport, and one of the disk holder and the first side of the casing bodybeing structured such that the disk holder is prevented from beingincorrectly inserted into the casing body, wherein the disk holderincludes an elastic member for supporting a disk therein, and the casingbody is formed so as to set the disk holder with a change of an elasticsupporting force of the elastic member with respect to the disk when thedisk holder is inserted into the interior of the casing body, whereinthe elastic member includes inner and outer elastic branches separablefrom each other, and wherein the outer branches engage with a rib withinthe casing body and extend outwardly therefrom and the inner branches donot engage with the rib and extend beyond the rib and grasp or releaseedges of a disc placed in the disc holder.
 8. A disk casing, comprising:a case body having a receiving space therein and an access port formedin a first side of the case body; and a disk holder insertable into aninterior of the case body via the access port, and one of the diskholder and the first side of the case body being structured such thatthe disk holder is prevented from being incorrectly inserted into thecase body, wherein the disk holder includes an elastic member forsupporting a disk therein, and the case body is formed so as to set thedisk holder with its elastic deformation in a condition of entering thedisk in the case body, wherein the disk holder is configured to beinserted into the access port such that a predetermined opened distanceof the access port remains between an outer edge of the disk holder andan outer edge of the case body.
 9. The disk casing of claim 8, whereinthe predetermined opened distance corresponds to a length differencebetween a larger size disk accommodated in a disk drive and a smallersize recording medium configured to be held in the disk holder andaccommodated in the disk drive.
 10. The disk casing of claim 9, whereinthe larger size disk has a diameter of about 120 mm and the smaller sizedisk has a diameter of about 80 mm.
 11. The disk casing of claim 8,wherein a portion formed at the elastic member is moved toward walls ofthe case body when the disk holder is inserted into the interior of thecase body, thereby changing the elastic supporting force of the elasticmember.
 12. The disk casing of claim 11, wherein the case body includesslanted surfaces that are contacted with shoulders of the elastic memberwhen the disk holder is inserted into the interior of the case body,thereby moving shoulders of the elastic member toward walls of the casebody.
 13. The disk casing of claim 8, wherein the disk holder includes aconvex-shaped holding portion and the access port of the case bodycomprises a concave shape such that the disk holder is prevented frombeing incorrectly inserted into the case body.
 14. A disk casing,comprising: a case body having a receiving space therein and an accessport formed in a first side of the case body; and a disk holderinsertable into an interior of the case body via the access port, andone of the disk holder and the first side of the case body beingstructured such that the disk holder is prevented from being incorrectlyinserted into the case body, wherein the disk holder includes an elasticmember for supporting a disk therein, and the case body is formed so asto set the disk holder with its elastic deformation in a condition ofentering the disk in the case body, and wherein the elastic memberincludes inner and outer elastic branches separable from each other, andwherein the outer branches engage with a rib within the case body andextend outwardly therefrom and the inner branches do not engage with therib and extend beyond the rib and grasp or release edges of a diskplaced in the disk holder.